One of the few surviving episodes of "Queen for a Day", from 1960. One of the strangest shows ever to air on TV.

Please note that most shows of the 60's were MUCH BETTER than this.


This movie is part of the collection: Classic TV

Audio/Visual: Sound, Black and White
Keywords: Classic TV; Television; 60's; 60s; 1960's; 1960s; Sixties; Camp; Campy; Plan 9 from Outer Space; Unintentionally Hilarious;

Creative Commons license: Public Domain

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Reviewer: ultimatebozo - - February 7, 2013
Subject: Brilliant by today's standards
This show screams for a revival, with someone like Maury Povich, or Jerry Springer as the host. This is more compelling, and less condescending than "American Idol" ever could be...

Reviewer: pauls son - - February 7, 2013
Subject: QFAD
I barely remember this being watched by my aunt & even as a child I knew it was bad. But---watching it now I see how truly atrocious it was! Yuck! This did bring back one short memory of an episode from way-back. A lady was sobbing about an ill husband, a home fire, & being robbed on New Years Day. That jackass host burst out laughing & yelled, "Happy New Year!!" After seeing this episode I realize he must've been just as clueless and unfeeling in EVERY episode. The show is campy but what crap!

Reviewer: pamalafizer - - December 12, 2012
Subject: **THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES**
**WATCHING TV WITH MY GRANDMOTHER WAS ALWAYS A HIGHLIGHT IN MY YOUNG LIFE**
**SHE WAS**HIP**ON ALL THE SHOWS**
**QUEEN FOR A DAY WAS MY FAV SHOW AND I WAS ALREADY A**JR. QUEEN IN MEMPHIS IN 1960 I WAS 5 YEARS OLD**
**MUCH LOVE**

Reviewer: hijklmno - - March 19, 2012
Subject: It was a great show
When I was a child, young adult. The lady across the street won Queen For A Day. She was a delightful woman. Their family had a special needs child. She was a grammer school teacher, her husband a postman. It was really a blessing that they won.

Reviewer: classicscats - - May 29, 2011
Subject: More please!! :)
So bad it's good. I loved this show. Yes they win by having the saddest story, but as someone else said, people love Extreme Home Makeover and that IMO is just as campy...a 21st century equivalent.

Please DO add more eps, this is a campy treasure among game shows!

Reviewer: Dr. I. N. Stein - - February 8, 2011
Subject: OMG
I remember this show from my childhood. God I'm old.

Reviewer: amywah - - May 27, 2010
Subject: Wow
Not sure I have ever seen someone look so sad on a game show. Even after winning. I did enjoy the fashion show.

Reviewer: dystonia_gene - - January 24, 2010
Subject: Yeah, Stop Hating!
What's so wrong about this. Do you really see much difference between this show and Extreme Home Makeover? Some of you cry every week watching that.

Well... maybe it was the suspiciously tipsy host (don't think it was essential tremors), the random 5yr/old model, or the bob-cut barbie doll display girls. ... eh, I don't know. I'm glad the kid got his wc.

Reviewer: Chez_When - - December 23, 2009
Subject: Retro fashions, cars, funny commercials.
I used to spend the day at the grandmother's when I was a kid. This was one of her must-watch TV shows. What I liked about this show were the prizes and Jean Cagney's fashion commentary. James Cagney's younger sister gave the movies the boot in the fifties, got married, then resurfaced in this little daytime TV stint. If you like looking at vintage fashions or retro appliances and furnishings,and very weird commercials then this is worth a download. You can also catch Jean Cagney in 2 movies here at archive.org. She steals the show in Quicksand with Mickey Rooney, and The Time Of Your Life with brother James. A class act even in this strange TV show.

Reviewer: TheDevilYouKnow - - December 12, 2009
Subject: Geez...
It's somewhat interesting (or sad...depending on how you look at it) that even back during the dawn of television, producers were trying to find ways to exploit people's misfortune for the sake of entertainment. Truth be told, I find the commercials from this more interesting than the show. In fact, the show itself just bummed me out.

The host also seems a bit condescending and barely even interested enough to listen. He asked some of the women questions to things that they clearly pointed out.

Reviewer: oldbob51 - - November 9, 2009
Subject: Crap
My mother watched this garbage for years, so of course I had to watch it, too! The most pathetic story wins, but what do the runners-up get? Probably a quick hustle out the door! The saddest part is that this dreck dates back to the radio days!

Reviewer: grcfl1ofaknd - - June 19, 2009
Subject: I know it's bad but........
......it is a tremendous example of what passed for entertainment for the ladies in the early 60's. A museum piece, a rarity, please download more, if for no other reason than for its historic content.

Reviewer: blackbox_jones - - January 20, 2009
Subject: Dear God, this is Horrible!
I just barely remember watching this when I was little, and I really didn't understand how terrible a concept it was. The worst part for me was when one of the contestents described how one of her triplets was born with a dangerously low birth weight of 3 lbs 3 ounces, and the idiot host laughs like she just said something cute and funny! Quite possibly the worst abomination I have ever seen! Please upload more!

Reviewer: Seto-Kaiba_Is_Stupid - - January 19, 2009
Subject: Well Below the Standards of the Time
This is perhaps one of the few truely bad programs of it's time.

Reviewer: jonel469 - - December 29, 2008
Subject: Sick Sick Sick
And the prize is.... A Brand New wheel Chair !!!!Good Lord what passed for entertainment then. Please T.V. and Radio Fan give us more if you have it , if for no other reason ,just for the babes in proto-mini skirts fondling household appliances .

Reviewer: Classic_TV_and_Radio_Fan - - November 1, 2008
Subject: Don't Encourage Me
If enough people download this shit then I will have no choice but to upload more.

Reviewer: TG Fan - - September 5, 2008
Subject: Downer
This show is sad....you win by being worse off than the others. Even the winner looked liked she was ready to cry all the time, not tears of joy either

Reviewer: Dwight Frye - - September 2, 2008
Subject: Queen For A Day
I cant help but love a show where the object is to be more pathetic than any of the other contestants.Remember seeing this as a little kid,enjoyed it then,and still like it today.Supposedly only 7 episodes survive,I hope they find more.